Thursday, April 18, 2024
4/18/2024
While Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) affects millions throughout the United States, Black/African American transgender persons experience a disproportion of HIV-related disparities. Due to a combination of high overall rates of incidence along with numerous social determinants, the burden is particularly extreme among young (13-29 year old), Black African American transgender male to female persons in Metro Atlanta. As the largest transgender service organization in the southeastern United States, and the first and only organization to be awarded funds by the state of Georgia to provide HIV prevention education, condom distribution, ARTAS linkage to care, Social Network Strategy, counseling, and testing for the Metro Atlanta transgender community, Someone Cares Inc., of Atlanta. (S1C) has the established experience and credibility to partner with the CDC to address these disparities with funding under CDC-RFA-PS17-1704 Comprehensive High-Impact Prevention Projects for Young Transgender Persons of Color (Category B). The purpose of this program is to implement comprehensive HIV prevention programs to reduce morbidity, mortality, and related health disparities among high-risk young transgender persons of color and their partners. S1C proposes to expand upon its established transgender program, REAL/T, by strengthening formalized collaborations with invested stakeholders, intensifying its innovative promotion and outreach, increasing targeted HIV testing, navigating both HIV-positive and high-risk HIV-negative persons to a continuum of HIV prevention and care services, and distributing condoms and education throughout the community. Each year, S1C?s comprehensive, client-centered approach to service among the young transgender persons of color community will test 450 persons for HIV, diagnosis 15 new HIV infections, link 90% of these HIV-positive persons to medical care, and provide medication adherence services for 20 persons. The program als o will provide Partner Services to 100% of its HIV-positive young transgender persons of color clients, provide high impact prevention (HIP) behavioral intervention in TWILLOW for at least 40 persons, and develop at least 5 peer leaders through the PROMISE intervention. Through the program, 80% of both HIV-positive clients as well as clients at high-risk of acquiring HIV will receive prevention and essential support services, while at least 80% of young transgender persons of color at high risk of acquiring HIV will be referred to PrEP, and both HIV-positive and HIV-negative persons throughout the community will be offered condoms and corresponding condom education. While baseline data for the transgender population does not currently exist, first year program data will help to establish a baseline, and achieving these annual objectives will over the course of the five year program reduce HIV incidence among young transgender persons of color in Metro Atlanta, increase the numbers of HIV-positive persons who are virally suppressed, reduce the death rate among persons with diagnosed HIV infection, and reduce HIV-related disparities in incidence, morbidity, and mortality among this population. By the end of the program period, Someone Cares, Inc of Atlanta?s client-centered, comprehensive approach to HIV prevention will demonstrably reduce barriers to culturally sensitive services, build a network for young transgender persons of color, and empower these clients to improve health outcomes for themselves and their community.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
